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Design Dilemma Smaller Homes

New Home: Small Space HELP!!

9 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Hi Everyone, Hope you are all having a wonderful and festive holiday season. I have recently purchased my first home (a small one bedroom apartment) and wondered if I could gain some of your ideas/expertise. I am quite the Transitional girl at heart and happen to love the colours Yellow, Orange and Aubergine (seperately of course) and wondered how I could create a LUXURIOUS and SPACIOUS feel using these colours as a base. Do you think that this is feasible in this small space? Thanks Everyone - Looking forward to reading your inspirational comments! Rebecca G.

Featured Answer

Brandi Nash Hicks

9 years ago

I think you can get the look you want by de cluttering everything ,change the fixture over your dining table to a simple white drum shade .Please post more pictures of the living room area as well so we can get a better idea of the space.I love those colors and I think they can work in small doses

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Comments (20)

Brandi Nash Hicks
9 years ago
A mirror would look good added to the surface top of your sideboard,it would help give you the transitional look and bounce some light around the room.What color are your blinds ? I think some nice white panels would look good on either side of all your windows as well hung high to give hight ,try to find some silver curtain rods and then some panels with silver grommets ,girls like a little bling ,lol
Rebecca G. thanked Brandi Nash Hicks
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Rebecca G.
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you very much Brandi, The blinds are red oak colour but at present I have a blank canvas. I have more images of the open plan living room area (See below) : )
pgteach
9 years ago
What about coral or spiced red drapes which would continue the look of your poppies, which I love.
Rebecca G. thanked pgteach
Rebecca G.
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you pgteach, everything has been removed, so I am working with a blank canvas.
em2020
9 years ago
I don't see how you can not without making the whole place seem tiny and in your face. I think I'd pick one of your zingy colours for the kitchen wall along by the oven and I'd do anything else with restraint in accessories. I'm not sure whether your taste in colours is bright and zingy or muted say more like burnt orange and gold heritage type yellow? I think I've assumed bright and in your face so I'd keep it to certain accessories so as not to overpower the place. I might for instance get a yellow pattern on a white base blind, keep my furniture neutral and light in colour.
Rebecca G. thanked em2020
Jo DP
9 years ago
The sideboard is ruining the lines of the window & would, I feel, look better on the wall behind the table with large candles or lamps to make an intimate dining area. A largish Mirror above, on this wall would reflect the lamplight & make the room feel lots bigger. I would make it gold to compliment your colours. How lovely to see someone wanting to embrace colour & not go scaredycat beige! The 3 windows are great & let in loads of light. I
love the idea suggested by pgteach & think fabric will add a luxurious element. This is a lovely space. Also, I would pull the sofa out from the wall a bit as it is hugging it for dear life! You will have another great wall then for a portrait mirror perhaps over a narrow console or storage unit. This would compliment the one hung landscape on the wall next to the dining table and give a different zoning effect. Again, a lower hung light over the dining table would look stunning & contribute to the zoning & reflect in the mirror. Lovely space, well done & many congratulations on your new home. I like the way you are thinking out the box!
Rebecca G. thanked Jo DP
myperfectadvice
9 years ago
I like your apartment as is.
but you could paint walls!?
Rebecca G. thanked myperfectadvice
Kez Sparham
9 years ago
I love the idea of yellow in your kitchen/diner/living space as you could just put in little accessories of yellow, eg yellow cushions on sofa, yellow table matts, etc
Rebecca G. thanked Kez Sparham
lislondon
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi Rebecca - Happy New Year and congratulations on getting your own pad...adding colour to your room(s) is great, but you could also just add an ascendant colours to the room(s) ie throws and cushions! Always have a look at your biggest piece of furniture and what colour this is, which is nearly always your sofa/settee, that should be your guidance! The 'white' wall colour in your lounge/kitchen, I would leave the wall as it is, as you have the sofa is where you have it and it is the colour it is - as less is more(ie colours)! If your sofa was cream/white, then yes, add colour to the wall. I personally, but that is just me, do not like TVs on display, they are not particularly pretty, collect dust etc, I have mine in armoire/cupboard. I would get completely rid of the corner TV piece of furniture, then move the low side cupboard you have under the window over up against the wall to the left of where the TV unit is at present. The TV could then sit on this, see how you like it and until you are happy leave it like that, as it's sometimes difficult to do everything at once! Your chair and foot stool are both far too big for the space you have! The wall between the windows and your kitchen might look very nice with come colour, but as everything is in one room, make sure it compliments the other wall (if you chose to paint or wall paper this + ascendants colours ie throw(s) cushions)! There (between the window and kitchen) I would put one of IKEA's IVAR book cases against the wall + put this on wheels(get 6 wheels 2 etch end + 2 in the middle), which you can also get at IKEA and it'll look fab! The bedroom the wall behind the bed would look nice with some colour or wall paper if you like that, again whatever colour you chose, make sure to have a throw + cushions on the bed that compliment each other and the wall. Good luck :)
Rebecca G. thanked lislondon
Sam Hill
9 years ago
I think that big leather chair suits the style, but is just too big.
Rebecca G. thanked Sam Hill
tannaz56
9 years ago
Firstly I love your pad, the color of the wall is neutral which is good, you should match the poppy color as your curtain. I personally think you do not need dinning area as with the kitchen cabinet that would have doubled up as your breakfast/dinner or take the extended area off the kitchen cabinet to make space, which would give you much room. Secondly do not like the color of the kitchen cabinet, I would use the same color as your cream/white cabinet, which will match with the rest of the furniture.
For the bedroom go for all black furniture and white/cream for walls and add red for curtain, which will add drama.
Rebecca G. thanked tannaz56
puddinghouse
9 years ago
What about painting one (or both) of the windowless end walls aubergine? The depth of that color could expand the space and make a great backdrop for that painting, prints, or a large mirror and some sconces. Deep aubergine can have the effect of creating "infinity" and is great for expanding spaces, especially in the evening. A warmer, brighter color could feel oppressive. Your cabinets would look more sophisticated against aubergine. The white furniture, if you plan to keep it, would appear more dynamic against aubergine. Love the painting!
Rebecca G. thanked puddinghouse
cavgirl
9 years ago
You say you have a blank canvas. Does that mean all the furniture in the photos should be ignored? And if so, have you bought new furniture? Knowing the colours of that ( eg, sofa) would help as a starting point.
Rebecca G. thanked cavgirl
Rebecca G.
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thank you all for your help, everything within the photo has been removed and I have no furniture, accessories etc… The Poppies situated on the windowless wall is a sticker and will be removed so that I can add my own touch.
Gerry Rust
9 years ago
My current home is a Georgian terrace but not on a grand scale and definitely not as light and airy as your new apartment! I love colour and am a minamalist's nightmare, all attempts to declutter simply lead to more and different purchases:-) When I first moved here I painted the rooms in a variety of colours and gradually over time have repainted them in a variety of whites. My advice for anyone living in a small space is keep the background simple and add interest with textiles and accessories, or maybe a feature wall. All these can be easily changed if your tastes change or you make a mistake, nor will it scare the bejaysus out of prospective buyers when you come to move on. My other top tip is there is no such thing as too many mirrors, people visiting my home probably think I'm horrendously vain but I rarely look in any of them! Fortunately you have lovely big windows and a great open plan layout so you can afford to add some statement pieces, I say follow your instincts and buy what you love, afterall it's YOUR home :-)
Rebecca G. thanked Gerry Rust
hortonhearsawho2013
9 years ago
Hello Rebecca. Congrats on the house!

I think aubergine would work nicely with the kitchen timber. I'd look for some wallpaper to put on the lounge wall where they have hung their artwork. I'm thinking maybe a grey/beige background with a aubergine pattern. I'd choose a charcoal sofa (to match worktop) and add your aubergine again in cushions & throws and possibly a lighter charcoal rug. Make this area your 'cosy' space.

At the other end of the room I would get a Large mirror for the wall and paint the frame in aubergine to match the paper and bring the colour down the room whilst also reflecting light. The kitchen is quite dark for such a small space so I'd just accessorise with a utensil holder, a handtowel and a couple of vases all in aubergine. I'd also keep as little as possible on the worktop! For your table, i'd buy a long glass console table and put it under the window opposite the kitchen to keep the space clear and un cluttered.

The bathroom I'd accessorise with yellow! Grey and yellow are gorgoeus together! Look out for a yellow handsoap and buy a yellow bathmat. a tall modern yellow vase for the window sill and either some artwork for the walls or a mirror.

That leaves orange for the bedroom!!! I'd start by finding a material or wallpaper with an amazing pattern that I love that has orange in it and then accessorise the rest of the room around the feature.

Good Luck and ENJOY!
Rebecca G. thanked hortonhearsawho2013
talibradley
9 years ago
The best way to de-clutter and maintain storage while celebrating the length of the room is to replace the shelves in the dining corner, and the dresser and the TV stand with one long wall to wall unite under the windows, If budget is low a bunch of modular units like Ikea Expedit. Stick with pale / white to keep it light.
Rebecca G. thanked talibradley
PRO
User
9 years ago
Work out your lighting first from natural ( work our direction of the sun into your home) and then additional light requirements. Next colours and the users of the space -what kind of feel you want inc what storage you require. Get pack to me if you want a complete plan working out.
Rebecca G. thanked User
Rebecca G.
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you All! I finally updated my home. Needs more TLC but the premise is there. Thanks Again!

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